Graduation
by sunrisesong15
Summary: Their senior year is almost over. But after an incident between Arnold and Helga at prom, Arnold realizes that Helga's more than just a friend to him. Suckish summary.
1. Chapter 1

Graduation

Chapter 1:

Preparation

Helga's POV:

'I look like a moron.' That's what Helga thought as she stood in front of the full-length mirror in Phoebe's room. It was prom and she

was dressed up. She was wearing a floor-length silk gown. It was strapless and emerald green. She was wearing silver eye shadow with

mascara, eyeliner and a subtle pink blush. Her golden hair, cascading gracefully down her back, was in soft curls. Phoebe came up

beside her best friend.

"You look gorgeous, Helga," she said.

"Do not," Helga argued, turning to her, "Now, you, on the other hand, are going to knock tall-hair boy dead." Phoebe blushed. Helga

smiled. Gerald had asked Phoebe to prom a week ago. Now him, her, Helga and Arnold were all going. Helga looked Phoebe over. She

did look beautiful. She was wearing a strapless royal blue gown. It was the perfect color for her. Her thick, luscious black hair was falling

down her back. The doorbell rang. "And that will be him now," Helga murmured. The girls walked down the stairs. Phoebe opened the

door. Gerald stood in the doorway, staring at Phoebe.

"You looked beautiful," he breathed out. His eyes traveled to look at Helga. Gerald's eyes widened. "Gees," he muttered. Helga rolled

her eyes.

"Let's just go," she muttered.

A/N: I know this was kind of a pointless chapter, but I _am_ getting to the point.


	2. Wow!

Graduation

Chapter Two:

Wow!

Helga, Phoebe, and Gerald arrived at prom at eight. Arnold had been running late and was just going to meet them there. As soon as

Helga stepped in the gym, the room went quiet. The girls all stopped talking and stared, eyes practically popping out of their heads. Some

boys wolf-whistled and other's jaws dropped. Helga just rolled her eyes and continued walking towards the punch table. Harold and

Stinky were the first to approach her.

"Gees, Helga, you look mighty purty tonight," Stinky said. (A/N: Give me a break here, please, I have no idea how the hell he's

supposed to talk. Oh, and also, excuse my frustratedness right now.) Harold looked puzzled.

"You look like a girl," he stated. Helga rolled her eyes and clenched her fist.

"Newsflash: I am a girl, Pink Boy and if you continue that statement, you'll have a nice reunion with Old Betsy," she retorted, shaking her

fist at him and scowling. Phoebe walked over to her and took her fist down gently, shaking her head in disapproval. Helga smiled and

nodded at her best friend.

* * *

Arnold just walked into prom. He looked around and spotted Sid and Stinky right away. He walked up to greet them.

"Hey guys," he said cheerfully. His friends turned to him.

"Hey, Arnold. If you're looking for Gerald, he's over by refreshments with Phoebe and Helga. Oh, and cover your mouth, you don't

want anyone to see you drool," Sid told him bluntly, leaving Arnold confused. Arnold ran his hand through his thick blonde hair. 'Huh,' he

thought. He shrugged it off and started to walk towards his best friend.

"Gerald!" he called. His best friend turned and waved, shifting slightly. That's when Arnold caught sight of Helga. He stopped dead in his

tracks. He'd never seen Helga look more beautiful than she did tonight. She was wearing a strapless, silk, royal blue ball gown. Her long

blonde hair flowed beautifully over her shoulders and down her back. Arnold had never seen Helga wear make-up either. But, now, she

was wearing both mascara and eye liner. She was wearing a silver eye shadow that brightened her brown eyes. Arnold approached his

friends slowly, not taking his eyes off Helga. Helga looked up and saw him. She smiled. Arnold could feel his heart racing.

"Hi," he said nervously. Gees, why was he nervous? It's only Helga. Helga G. Pataki. A girl he had known since pre-school. Why was

she making him nervous now?

"Hi," Helga replied back. Arnold looked her over once more. He became aware of the slight pink tinge to Helga's cheeks. His cheeks

burned also. "So?" Helga said, in anticipation of what he would say.

"Wow," was all Arnold could think to say.

A/N: Will update asap!


	3. A Night To Remember

Graduation

Chapter Three:

A Night To Remember

Helga walked into the girls' bathroom and looked at herself. She did look different. Phoebe came up behind her.

"Soo…" she started. Helga looked at her.

"What?"

"You gonna tell him?" Phoebe asked. Helga let out an exasperated sigh.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she said, tucking strands of her golden hair behind her ears. Phoebe raised an eyebrow.

"Helga…" she said. Helga sighed again.

"I don't know, Pheebs. I mean, we're going to the same college and everything and I don't want anything to be weird with us," she told her best friend. Now that, Phoebe understood. Helga and Arnold had both been accepted into the most prestigious college in New Hampshire. Helga, in fact, was the Salutatorian of the whole graduating class. She was only outmatched by Phoebe herself who was the Valedictorian and on her way to Harvard. Phoebe knew that Helga was happy that she would get to see Arnold again. But, she also knew that seeing him would not help her get over him. Phoebe wasn't so sure she liked it either.

"I know. But, I just wish…never mind. Happier thoughts. See ya," Phoebe left the girls' restroom and Helga not far behind her.

Helga walked out of the bathroom and saw Arnold, standing over by the punch bowl talking to Gerald. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about telling Arnold the truth. In fact, she had dreamt about it for so many years. She wanted to tell him, but, that negative little Helga voice in the back of her mind always stopped her. Just then, Arnold looked up, his eyes meeting hers. He smiled. Helga's heart skipped a beat. It was amazing that, after almost ten years of knowing him, he could still do that to her. Arnold started to walk her way. Helga looked around, secretly almost wishing she could run. That she could banish every bit of feeling he held to her. But she didn't move and she couldn't do that. She was stuck.

"You wanna dance?" Arnold asked, pulling Helga out of her trance. Helga nodded.

"Sure, football-head," she said. Arnold took her hand in his shyly and pulled her out to the dance floor, just as a slow song began to play.

_I wonder how I ever made it through a day  
How did I settle for a world in shades of gray  
When you go in circles all the scenery looks the same  
And you don't know why_

Helga's cheeks warmed. Arnold put one hand around her waist and held the other hand. His hand felt warm and perfect around hers, and just being near him was intoxicating.

_Then I looked into your eyes  
Where the road stretched out in front of me,  
And I realized_

Helga dropped her eyes to the floor, only to have Arnold lift her chin gently. He searched her eyes, almost looking puzzled at what he saw.

"You've changed so much, Helga," he said. Helga shrugged.

"You met me in preschool, Arnold, I think it'd be kind of weird if I hadn't," she said. The boy in front of her laughed.

"No, I just mean since we started high school. Or maybe it started after we saved the neighborhood…" Arnold's voice wandered. Helga blushed when she remembered the scene she had created on that rooftop.

"Yeah, that was quite an interesting day," she commented. Arnold looked back at her. The song played louder now, and Helga almost let out a bitter laugh of how the song matched her so well.

_I never lived before your love  
I never felt before your touch  
I never needed anyone to make me feel alive  
But then again I wasn't really living  
I never lived before your love_

_I wanted more than just an ordinary life  
All of my dreams seemed like castles in the sky  
I stand before you and my heart is in your hands  
And I don't know how  
I survived without your kiss  
'Cause you've given me a reason to exist_

Words formed at the edge of Helga's tongue. She wanted so much to let them free, and yet, at the same time, wanted to shove them back into the pit of her soul. How much she loved them had always tormented her, but the feeling became increasingly worse the closer she was to him. She wanted to move away from him, and curse at him for touching her, like she would have when she was younger, but her heart screamed at her otherwise. So she stayed in Arnold's arms, secretly hoping she'd never leave.

_  
I never lived before your love  
I never felt before your touch  
I never needed anyone to make me feel alive  
But then again I wasn't really living  
I never lived before your love_

All of the sudden, Arnold shifted slightly. He stared down at the ground and looked at his feet. Helga wondered what was on his mind. His grip tightened around her and he pulled her closer. Though surprised, Helga just shrugged. Arnold looked up at her not a moment later. He was searching her eyes again, looking for an answer to an unspoken question. But before Helga could speak, Arnold's lips crashed on hers.

I never lived before your love

And I don't know why  
While the sun decides to shine  
But you breathed your love into me just in time

The kiss was everything Helga had ever imagined and so much more. The feel of his lips with hers felt so perfect, so right. But, at the same time, she knew it wasn't real. He didn't love her. He just got caught up in heat of the moment. She forced herself to pull away and took two whole steps backwards, trying to catch her breath. When she did, she blurted out:

"I gotta go." Helga took of out of the room, leaving Arnold in the center of the dance floor, still contemplating what had just happened.

I never lived before your love  
I never felt before your touch  
I never needed anyone to make me feel alive  
But then again I wasn't really living  
I never lived  
I never lived  
Before your love

A/N: I know I took so long to update, but I was having a terrible case of writer's block. Well, at least now you have a nice long chapter to read.


	4. The Morning After

Graduation

Chapter Four:

The Morning After

Beep-beep, beep-beep! The moment the chime rang, Helga smacked it. She smiled as the warm sunlight flowed over her whole body. She loved her dreams. She loved when Arnold was in them. Helga turned on her side and opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the gorgeous green gown lying bunched up on the floor. The memory of last night hit her bluntly, and a certain panic filled her chest. A mistake, she kept muttering to herself….

"AHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

"Uh, hello, earth to Arnold?" Gerald said, waving his hands dramatically in front of his friend's face. Arnold snapped from his trance, looking dazed.

"What?" he said. Gerald rolled his eyes.

"Man, you are still thinking about it?" he stated. Arnold heaved a heavy sigh.

"Ha…you know what…criticize me when you make-out with a girl that used to compare you're head to a piece of equipment people kick," he retorted. Gerald chuckled.

"Yeah…that is bad," he said. Arnold scowled and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. The two of them turned the street corner to the high school, where many students were already gathered outside. Gerald suddenly stopped.

"I'm gonna go now, man…" he said. He dashed through the doors of the school, leaving Arnold completely confused.

"What?" He looked up. Helga and Phoebe were approaching the school. Phoebe ran off as well, leaving Helga confused like Arnold. But when she spotted Arnold, her eyes instantly dropped to her feet. The pair met in the middle of the walkway in front of the high school.

"Hi," Arnold said breathlessly. Helga tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear self-consciously.

"Hi," she said. The two of them started walking into the school.

"Um…how 'bout that prom…that was umm…interesting," Arnold said. Helga's cheeks grew crimson. She pressed her lips together firmly to keep from commenting the way she wanted to.

"Yeah," she said.

"Yup…" Arnold rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. The two of them walked in silence down the busy hallways, each trying to think of something to say.

"You…" they both began at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed.

"You first," Helga said.

"Um…okay," Arnold said, "I'm sorry about that whole thing last night. I guess it was just a little…"

"Weird?" Helga finished, shoving back her disappointment fiercely. She had known this would be the outcome. Just her luck, right?

"Yeah, exactly, I mean, we're finally friends. I wouldn't want to jeopardize that for anything," she forced herself to say. Arnold nodded, though he was surprised by the odd burning in his heart with that comment.

"I agree completely," he said.

"So, it's settled, we're good, right?" Arnold breathed in slowly.

* * *

"Yeah, we're good," he finally replied. Helga smiled slightly, stuffed her fists into the pockets of her jeans, and walked away. She turned the corner quickly and ran into a random classroom. Checking to see if it was empty, she leaned up against the wall, breathing in deeply and closing her eyes.

"You will not cry, Helga G. Pataki," she said out loud as salty tears stung the corners of her eyes. She clung to the wall behind her and sunk down. One lone tear fell.

"Don't cry," she whispered.

As Arnold watched Helga walk away, a hollowness filled the pit of his stomach. Was it really supposed to be that easy? Was what he felt the night before just some idle fantasy of Helga? Or was there something else to the story, something gnawing at the very depths of his soul, screaming and telling him of his mistake? Was he supposed to just leave it as it was? Something in him told him no.

A/N: I'm sorry it's so short and that it took so long for me to write. I guess shortness is better than nothing at all.


End file.
